View the Full Report Here: Department of Education
On March 11, 2024, the Biden-Harris Administration released the President’s 2025 Fiscal Priorities Budget Request for the Department of Education. The total request was $82.4 billion in discretionary funding for the Department of Education and reflects a $3.1 billion or 4% increase from the fiscal year 2024 annualized CR level. This week's insights briefly summarize the areas of priority in higher education:
"The total request was $82.4 billion in discretionary funding for the Department of Education and reflects a $3.1 billion or 4% increase from the fiscal year 2024"
The report cited proposals to "lower the cost of college by increasing the maximum Pell Grant, supporting evidence-based college completion efforts, and supporting efforts to provide free textbooks. In addition, the budget includes tuition-free community college and tuition support for students attending Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), and Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs), including Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs).”
The budget also includes a focus on access to career-connected dual enrollment through the “Classroom to Career” program, providing awards for institutions that deliver an excellent education at an affordable price to expand the number of students served or to share best practices, increase college completion rates, reduce cost burdens for students, and lower costs per graduate.
In a previous Felder Official article, we covered Biden’s new policy on gainful employment, which is a policy that is tangential to only a few colleges currently and carries the backdrop of performance-based funding discussions, which are continuing overall with a possible expansion to more public institutions.
The priorities noted in the FY2025 Report include the following:
Increase Investments in College Affordability
Commitments to Postsecondary Student Success, Completion, and Support
Increase equitable funding to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCU), Minority Serving Institutions (MSI), and Community Colleges.
Prioritize the Needs of Students and Borrowers
Bolster our nation's workforce through Career and Technical Education and Adult Education.
Increase support for Civil Rights enforcement with a commitment to no discrimination and upholding the equal protection clause.
"The accurate indication of this work is its impact on individual institutions. As this budget request mirrors years prior in FY 2024 and 2023, further analysis should be done to compare this administration's efforts with the former so practitioners can discern significant differences in budgetary requests and the trickle-down effect to the states thereafter."
The budget request supports the diverse initiatives the current administration is committed to furthering. While there is a high level of scrutiny in the federal student aid system, cultural climates on college campuses, and the financial return on investment in higher education, the money shows the strategic planning agenda of the administration. The accurate indication of this work is its impact on individual institutions. As this budget request mirrors years prior in FY 2024 and 2023, further analysis should be done to compare this administration's efforts with the former so practitioners can discern significant differences in budgetary requests and the trickle-down effect to the states thereafter.
Thank you for reading and sharing this summary article!
Rebuttals always welcome,
Jade M. Felder
@felderofficial - X
Higher education should be a priority for young generation. Why? You ask! Because we don't all have the same beginnings but With financial support we can achieve milestones for our youth never imagined.